Kids react to the new president

Our #HatchKids discuss Trump's victory and their hopes for the future

Much of the country is still processing the news of Trump’s election — children included. How did this happen? What does it mean for America? And where do we go from here? This week, we sat down with our #HatchKids to discuss their feelings about our new president-elect.

By and large, our kids were shocked and upset by the news. “I can’t even begin to explain what was going through my head,” said one girl. A boy echoed the feelings of many when he said he’s “really scared for what’s going to happen to America.” More than anything, the Hatch kids felt the lost opportunity that Hillary Clinton’s presidency would have held. They thought Clinton would have made “a really great president.”

Despite being upset, the kids modeled some real understanding of why Trump appealed to so many. As one girl observed: “Donald Trump was a bit more charismatic, and he had a very straightforward message.” And on the relatively small voter turnout: “A lot of people don’t like Donald Trump but they don’t like Hillary either, so they just decide[d] not to vote.”

More than anything, they expressed hope for our future. They consider it good news that a woman got as close as she did to the presidency, and they don’t think that Donald Trump’s presidency means the world is coming to an end. Nor do they think that our country is hopelessly divided. As one kid put it: “Just because you don’t agree with someone’s views doesn’t mean you hate them and you can’t know them.”